Did you feel as sad as i do?

Question

When you had to have your friend [ your dog] put to sleep.
We my hubby and i had to take my darling [my Alsatian] to be put to sleep,
He could barely walk and kept on falling over but always had a smile on his face. I am already missing him so much and hubby is crying as well. He was like a child to us [ a good child] always happy, always the first in the car and teased me by nipping me gently on the butt, he made me laugh and i never thought the day would come that he would not be around. Our hearts are very sore at the moment and i suspect it will be like that forever. Ohhhh how i miss my baby, lying by my feet and keeping an eye on us all the time.
Lupin, we miss you and will always, always love you.
xxxx

Answer 1

I know how your feeling. I am 25 and when i was 7 my dad got us a puppy, nothing fancy just a border collie cross. Flo. She was amazing. And when my dad had to have her PTS a few years ago it tore him apart. I miss her soooooo much i still cry when i look at her pictures, and the pain doesnt go away.
This is a well-known poem that i like to read to remind of my friend. (its a bit long but well worth reading)

A Living Love
by Martin Scot Kosins

If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember....The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking "stranger" in a shelter -- simply because something in his eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room -- and when you feel it brush against you for the first time -- it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.

The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other: routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow, deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep when you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend's diet -- and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives.

And on this day -- if your friend and God have not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own -- on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you, you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must.

And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you.But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul -- a bit smaller in size than your own -- seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come.And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg -- very, very lightly.And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay -- you will remember those three significant days.

The memory will most likely to be painful, and leave an ache in your heart... As time passes the ache will come and go as if it has a life of its own.

You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.

But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when -- along with the memory of your pet -- and piercing through the heaviness in your heart -- there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost.

This realization takes the form of a Living Love. Like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and grow -- and be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live.It is a Love which is ours alone. And until we ourselves leave -- perhaps to join our Beloved Pets -- it is a Love we will always possess.

Man that gets me every time i read it !

Answer 2

At least you and your husband can remember Lupin together and talk about him. Evenually you will be able to laugh again over his funny habits that made you laugh and the things you did together.
Make a Lupin photo album so you can sit and look through the pictures and remember the time they were taken and what you were doing etc. l find this helps with each of mine.

The worst for me is coming in to an empty house. A home isn't a home without a furry friend to greet you with swishing tail and slobbery kisses!
Maybe once the pain isn't so sharp in your hearts you may be able to offer your love to another dog just as deserving of your love as Lupin was. ln no way will you be betraying Lupin as no dog ever replaces him, but you would be doing him proud to save a poor soul who has never known a loving home. The new dog would also help to heal a little piece of your broken hearts.
l want to thank you on Lupins behalf for being a fantastic mommy & daddy to him and giving him the best life a dog could wish for and also having the courage to help him leave this world with dignity and no pain.
Bless you both x

Answer 3

I think we don't really have to know everything that is really going on to the other person we knew, when there are times that may possibly make us both uncomfortable to tell things now and then, we dont really do everytime. Yet as we become closer to one so naturally. We actually have this kind of sensitivity we feel when there is quite something going wrong with our friend or a loved one whether far or near to us..I think this natural psychic ability in our human nature like of that intuitions or telephatic transfer of some energies naturally created that we don't really know what it is. When you just have no idea at all. That is why it becomes all so strange to us whatever we may perceive without even hearing the real situation of the other person involved. You may already conciously or even unconsciously feel that certain bond or connection in some or so many ways. It is not a crazy feeling if not to over react on it. But it is only your sense of developing awareness about what was transmitted by a particular situation that made you felt something's behind the thoughts and feelings of the particular person related to you or perhaps not even real close.

Answer 4

I'm sorry to say it never get's easier to say goodbye to an animal who has been part of your life! It seems to be a question I'm answering a lot since I lost my own girl (also a German Shepherd) last week. Though I'm going through an angry stage as I've just spoken to the Vet again She was only 7 so they did an autopsy and her problems were caused by treatment she received as a puppy. She was a 'rescue' as are all my dogs and most of my cats. I really miss her and the house is empty without her. The sorrow and anger will go and I will get another dog soon but it will never replace her anymore than she replaced the previous dogs. The sharp pain does go away and although you will always miss Lupin (lovely name) he will be in your heart and memory forever! Take comfort from the knowledge that you loved him and gave him the best life possible and soon you can look back and laugh at the memories of his antics instead of crying.

Answer 5

Yes. I lost my beloved Dixie, a 9 year old German Shepherd, about 2 years ago. We still have Dixie's sister, but I had a mental connection with Dixie that I have never had with any other dog. We had to have her put to sleep because her kidneys were failing due to being on a drug (Rimidyl) for the last 3 years of her life. I slept next her on the floor the last week of her life. Friend - the best thing you can do to help your heart and soul heal is just what you are doing - share the wonderful memories of your precious Lupin and know that others feel your sorrow. Remember the fun times - remember the first time you saw her and how she snuggled in your lap and that wonderful puppy breath smell! Remember her. Then - go to your local animal shelter and "rescue" another love - another precious animal that wants to experience all the good things you had with Lupin!

Answer 6

I also had an Alsatian who passed away. That was years ago and I still have her collar on my bed post. She was a wonderful companion and the smartest dog I've ever seen. I know how you are hurting. To this day, I get teary when I think of her. (Gretel Kay) Yes, it can feel like losing a child. Cry your eyes out as much as you want. Those are healing tears. You loved her and she is gone. There will always be a hole in your heart, but time does heal. Best wishes.

Answer 7

Poor you, I know exactly how bad you are feeling right now but it gets better with time. A month ago I had to take my little Maltese "Sally" to be put down. She was 18 years old! I felt so guilty as I was put at work most of that day and when I came home she seemed as if she had a stroke or something as she couldnt stand up properly. She was in such a bad way I knew it was time. The worst thing was that my husband was away on business to I had to take her to the vet all by myself but the vet was great. We really miss our little white bundle of fluff that we had for so long. When she has been given the drug to put her to sleep she looked like a little puppy again and at peace.

All the best

Answer 8

I am sorry to hear of you loss.

I've had lots of Alsations and each and every one of them has been special to me.

I think the ones that hit me hard were the first ones we got. I was 5 when we got them, brother and sister. So I grew up with them being there. I was 14 when the first one died of throat cancer and I didn't think I'd ever get over it. I cried day and night for about a week. Mum and dad were really worried about me. It was like losing a sister. I couldn't eat, sleep or anything. It took me a while to get over her but we still had her brother so at least that was something. I think all in all we had about 9 Alsations when I was growing up and I was exactly the same with each and every one of them when they died. Our last dog died when I was 21.

For me, I find that the best thing to do when you lose a dog is get another one, a puppy. Doesn't work for everyone but for me it's a great cure. It distracts you from your emotions and lets you think about something else...because you have to.

I really do feel for you. I have no miracle suggestion for how to not feel sad any more as we all deal with grief in different ways and it is like losing a family member and a close one at that! Some people think we're crazy to get so emotional about the death of a pet but anyone who's an animal lover understands. You just need time to get over it and if getting another puppy or dog is an option for you then get one. It sure helps me and a lot of other people.

xx

Answer 9

Aww R.I.P Lupin
i also had a dog put too sleep last year he was a boxer called jake,
Unfortunatly he got a disease called cushins sydrome where his muscles etc wasted away. he started to fall over and go blind he was on a concotion of drugs and eventually we decided the time had come to end his suffering
yer we cried for weeks i fort i couldnt cry anymore but even now year on i still wish he was here and think of him

Always remember the good days and treasure his memory

Good luck and best wishes
xxx

Answer 10

No actually you have probably just helped me put a lot of things in perspective. I have been feeling down the last few days but i can change most of the things i am feeling sad about whereas your experience is out of your control. You can only change your perspective about the situation to help yourself feel better and maybe some of the postings here have already helped you to do that.

My daughter lost her rabbit many many years ago and she still cries when she looks at photographs now. Okay she was only little at the time but remembering him reminds her of her childhood and he was a big part of that for her.

I wonder what you can do to help yourself feel better about your loss. I suppose at the moment you may just need time to go through the grieving process and maybe the recovery will come after that.

Answer 11

Yes, I feel great sadness for you and I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my best friend two years ago to torsion and bloat. I felt totally empty inside for two weeks. At that point, I adopted another dog from a Great Dane rescue. I knew he couldn't replace Duke, but, he helped fill the emptiness.

You have made a very positive step in sharing what you are feeling. Don't hesitate to talk bout your Lupin. Just like when a relative passes on, talking helps to remember the good and diminishes the bad memories.

When you feel ready to share that love again, please, consider adopting or rescuing another dog. Your kind of love is needed by a lot of homeless pets.